FWCS 2011-12 calendar eliminates delay days

Fort Wayne Community Schools has finalized its 2011-12 school year calendar eliminating the weekly delay days for students and adding training days for teachers and administrators prior to the start of the school year. The changes maintain the district's efforts to ensure teachers are well trained and have adequate time to work together as a team while removing scheduling inconveniences for families.
The calendar also adjusts the winter break to avoid having students return to school the day after New Year's Day. Traditionally, the winter break has been two full weeks. For 2011-12, the 10-day break will be taken from Dec. 22-Jan. 4. This will eliminate the need for families to rush back from vacations in time to start school again on Jan. 2. The last time Jan. 2 fell on a Monday was in 2006, and half of the district's schools experienced higher-than-average absentee rates on that day.
Other highlights of the calendar include:
• First day of school – Aug. 22
• Fall break (new for 2011-12) – Oct. 14
• Parent teacher conferences – Nov. 2 & 3, Feb. 1 & 2, with schools closed Nov. 4 & Feb. 3
• Veterans Day – Students attend school
• Winter break – Dec. 22-Jan. 4
• End of semester/Make-up days – Jan. 13 & June 6
• Presidents Day (observed this year because Good Friday falls during spring break) – Feb. 20
• Spring break – April 2-6
• Reserve make-up days – May 11 & 25
• Last day of school for students (could change depending on the need for make-up days) – June 5
• Graduation – June 15 & 16
The full calendar is available on our Web site at www.fortwayneschools.org.

With nearly 30,000 students, Fort Wayne Community Schools is one of the largest school districts in Indiana. FWCS proudly allows families to choose any of its 50 schools through its successful school-choice program creating diversity in each school, including some with more than 75 languages spoken. FWCS offers seven magnet schools focusing on areas such as science and math, communication, fine arts or Montessori at the elementary and middle school level. In high school, students can choose from the prestigious International Baccalaureate program, Project Lead the Way or New Tech Academy as well as other rigorous academic and specialty training programs.